In its meeting on January 13th, the Washington County Board of County Commissioners presented Youth of the Month Meritorious Awards to high school and middle school students for the month of November, 2003, in cooperation with the Washington County Community Partnership (WCCP).

The High School Award was presented to Kevin Sandell, son of Mark and Annette Sandell of Boonsboro by Commissioner Dori Nipps. A junior at Heritage Academy, Kevin has maintained a 4.0 grade point average in his Freshman and Sophomore years, was nominated for Who's Who and was class president in his freshman and junior years. Kevin has been nominated for National Honor Society and had the highest grades in Bible 9, American History, English 9, 10, Geometry, Spanish 1 and 2, Computer 1 and Biology.

Kevin has been nominated for several accomplishments including National Science Merit Award Program and for American Character and Citizenship Awards, the United States National Journalism Award, All-American Scholar in Journalism, World History, Physical Science, Speech and Drama. Kevin has also been nominated to the United States National Soccer Awards, the International Foreign Language Awards and the National English Merit Award.

Kevin's extra curricular activities include participation in a youth group, church softball, playing tone bells, and serving as an usher. At Heritage he played and lettered in varsity baseball (second all county, best defensive player), basketball and soccer. He is also involved in the school's Chess club as well as bowling and has attended basketball camp at Baptist Bible College and won the Jerry West Award. Kevin has performed in several school plays and performed at the Maryland Theatre where he played Hans Christian Anderson in "Tales of Hans Christian Anderson", Jim Hawkins in the play "Treasure Island" and was a knight in the play "Rumpelstiltskin". Kevin has also served his community at a local food kitchen and a homeless shelter.

Kevin has been called "very organized, a great leader and role model, sensitive and compassionate, as well as a hard worker".